American and British hostages moved before US raid in Yemen

Eight hostages were freed in a raid by US special forces in Yemen, but al-Qaida militants shifted five other captives, including an American and a Briton, to another location a few days before the rescue mission, media reports say.

The joint US-Yemeni raid was carried out in an eastern province. However, when the team reached the cave where the hostages were kept, the US national and four others were not there.

US officials did not say if the raid was aimed at freeing any US hostage.